Cursed
by FallingSnow14
Summary: She has returned, with only one thing on her mind: Revenge. But who is she? Where is she from? They don't know... until it's too late. In some stories, not everyone makes it out alive... Rated T for safety and some violence.
1. Prologue

I got this one line stuck in my head, this one sentence, and it bloomed into a story. I wrote the prologue, and then I knew I had to finish it. I hope you like it. Please, please, please, review.

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**Trees, trees, trees. More trees than she'd ever seen in her lifetime. It was a unknown world, here in these trees. A place where you could almost believe ghosts walked in the night, silent death. Very unlike the world she'd come from, where danger lurked in the shadows of every alley and building. Where it was every cat for themselves, fighting for every mouthful and place to sleep, struggling to survive. She'd left that world, left it for one reason and one reason only. To find the cat. **

**It had been a hard journey, crossing this strange land with dangers she'd never before faced. She'd looked down from mountains she hadn't knew existed, fled from huge stone-footed beasts she'd never seen, dodged monster after countless monster. She'd been traveling a long, long time, walking endlessly for miles. But it would be worth it. **

**Her **pelt was torn from brambles and thorns, claws and teeth. Her fur was limp and dirty, and in some places, crusted with dried blood. Her limbs ached, but she forced her paws to move, determined to reach her goal. She appeared to be in bad health, but actually, where she came from, all of this was quite normal, and the journey had taken only a small toll on her strength and appearance. The biggest difference was the fact that her ribs stuck harshly out of her sides, even though her small size meant she needed less prey than others. She'd grown even thinner than normal, and her dark purple collar hung loosely on her neck.

Again, trees. She knew nothing of them, or what hid in their depths, but they were a welcome sight. For this many trees could only mean one thing. She'd nearly reached her goal. She was so close to finding the cat. Her single-minded desire drove her forward, and she disappeared into the dark forest.


	2. Purple Collar

**I forgot to mention a few important details, one of which is the fact that the story takes place right between **_**Sunset **_**and **_**The Sight. **_**About the time when Leafpool has her kits. I also forgot to mention that it contains spoilers. I do not own warriors, but if I did I would publish all my fanfics. **

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Thornclaw led a border patrol on the far edge of the territory. With him was Whitewing, who had recently became a warrior, and Poppypaw, his young apprentice. They'd followed the stream along the WindClan border almost to the Moonpool. Padding along silently, they remarked the border every few paces. Life was pretty simple these days, with the only concern being to prepare for the cold leaf-bare days ahead. Rainwhisker's death had been an unseen tragedy, and sadness still lingered in the camp. On a lighter note, Squirrelflight just had a healthy litter of kits. But otherwise, little had happened.

Poppypawbounded ahead, batting a leaf out of the air. Any other time, Thornclaw might have scolded her for such kitlike behavior, but they were all relaxing these days. He rubbed his cheek against a large cool stone.

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the little tortoiseshell stick her nose in the air. He barely noted the action, already moving ahead, when her expression became confused. He glanced over, rotating his ears.

"Poppypaw, is something wrong?" he yawned.

"Idon't know, I think... Something smells wrong." she mewed worriedly. Whitewing joined her and sniffed the air as well, her pink nose twitching. Her eyes widened.

"Thornclaw…" That's as far as she got. Thornclaw bounded over to her, his fur prickling, and scented. A breeze stirred the air, and on it was the strong scent of cat. It wasn't a ThunderClan cat, or and Clan cat for that matter. The scent was fresh, which meant the trespasser was still somewhere on the territory.

Thornclaw made a quick descision. Judging by the scent, it was only one. There were three of them on the patrol, even though one was barely more than a kit and the other was barely more than an apprentice. Despite that, they were all strong fighters and had the upper hand. He decided to go find the intruder.

"Ismell it now. Good work, Poppypaw. We'll go find this rogue and drive them off." he said determinedly. Whitewing looked slightly nervous about his announcement but didn't object. Lifting his golden furred head, Thornclaw strode off into the brush.

Theymarched west for aways, tracing the scent farther into the territory. Then they hit the trail. The invader had clearly walked here, and not long ago. "Come on." Thornclaw growled. Trotting quicker, they tracked it until Thornclaw froze. The ferns ahead of the patrol rustled slightly. With a snarl, he launched himself into the brambles. The bushes shook wildly in front of him, and Whitewing and Poppypaw soared after behind him. They crashed through the brush, pursuing the fleeing form, when they burst into a tiny clearing.

Avery small she-cat cowered against the base of a tree. She had midnight black fur with snow white paws, chest, belly and tail tip, with a thick white streak down her right side. Her eyes were grass green, with tiny dark moss green flecks. She was also thin, dirty, and tired looking. But besides the lack of food and hygiene, she was exceptionally pretty.

Thornclaw didn't care. He pounced on her, pinning her to the ground. She didn't try to flee or fight, just quivered under his paws, tiny and scared. He felt sorry for the pitiful cat. She obviously hadn't had a good meal or rest in a long time, and clearly wasn't interesting in threatening the Clan.

Whitewingbent her head and sniffed the other she-cat, pressing her nose into the black fur. She looked surprised. "You're not from around here, are you?" she blurted. Thornclaw sniffed at her as well. Whitewing was right. The she-cat smelled of things far away, and underneath that there was something... dark. Thornclaw didn't know exactly what it was, but it was like a mixture of Twolegs and Thunderpaths, shadows and blood.

"N-no." she gave a terrified mew. Then Thornclaw noticed something. She wore a dark purple collar around her neck. _How could I have missed that? _He thought to himself. _I saw the _flecks _in her _eyes_, yet I didn't realize she was wearing a collar?! How mouse-brained am I?!... I guess that solves the mystery, though. Probably just a lost kittypet who didn't realize how tough the world was outside their nest._

"Areyou lost? I mean, are you a kittypet?" he asked, letting her up. Some cats would snarl and spit and drive her off like they were supposed to, but Thornclaw knew Firetstar wouldn't throw a scared, hungry cat off the territory just because she was here. If she needed help, he'd probably give her some prey and take her back to the Twolegplace nearby. Some cats thought he was soft that way, but Thornclaw was proud of his leader.

"I'mnot a house pet-" she started to say, but Poppypaw cut her off.

"Are those teeth?!" she asked in a horrified voice, staring at the she-cat's collar. Thornclaw glanced down, and was shocked. Embedded in the collar were several teeth of vaious sizes, some of which appeared to be cat's. They gleamed evilly against the dark dirt-smeared collar. Memories stirred in the back of his mind. It seemed like lifetimes ago, but really was only a few years. The battle with BloodClan.

Hehad been a very young warrior then, but he remembered it clearly. It was one of ThunderClan's gravest seasons. So many cats were lost to the viscious, bloodthirsty cats. He remembered how they fashioned their collars and claws with the teeth of their victims. He could picture their leader, Scourge, ripping open Tigerstar with one blow of death.

Hisfur was on edge again. "I think you need to speak to Firestar." he said. She nodded, frightened.

The three older cats moved in a tightly packed group. Whitewing and Thornclaw walked on either side of the black and white she-cat, while Poppypaw ran ahead to warn the warriors. The intruder slunk low to the ground, her ears pinned back.

Thornclawkept a close eye on her. Her appearance still made pity well up inside him, but he forced himself to look past her fearful demeanor. He was sure she was no ordinary kittypet, if she even _was_ one. If you looked at it another way, her mud splattered fur and scrawny body could easily be from living as a rogue on the streets.

But the collar was bad news no matter how you looked at it_. At least she doesn't have those teeth on her claws_, He thought.

Theyarrived to find the cats waiting anxiously by the camp entrance. Brightheart watched warily, and Dustpelt bared his teeth at the intruder. Firestar waited atop the Highledge, looking down upon the cats before him. The cats parted to either side as the three strode forward. They came to a stop beneath the Highledge.

"I assume Poppypaw has told you everything?" Thornclaw asked.

"She has." Firestar said.

Thornclaw nodded. He nudged the black and white she-cat forward, then stepped back to sit next to Poppypaw. The camp was silent as they waited for Firestar to speak.


	3. Insanity

**Thank you to everyone who has read and liked my story, and especially to those who reviewed; Ryuchie, Coby, and Nightfall Daybreak.**

**I would also like to announce that I will have a chapter devoted to a sort of author's chat. If you have any questions about **_**Cursed, **_**leave them in a review and I'll answer them then (just remember, a lot your questions will be answered in the next few chapters). I'll also give you a lot more insight into the life of the mystery cat. The author's chat chapter will be about halfway through the story. **

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Firestarstared down at the she-cat before him, the same age as his daughters. Clearly exhausted and hungry, she trembled and cowered underneath the many hostile glares. But that's not what Firestar was concerned with. Poppypaw had said the trespasser wore a collar full of teeth. She'd spoken true. This was very disturbing.

He dearly wanted to talk with the she-cat in his den, but he knew the Clan wanted answers and had a right to them. They most likely wouldn't be happy with his decision, but many of them had fought BloodClan alongside him, and their fear was real.

He chose simple question to start with. "What is your name?" he asked.

"I-I'm called Flower." she whispered, shaking.

"Well, Flower, you _do _realize you were trespassing on ThunderClan territory? We don't allow others to come here."

"I'm sorry, but I'm very hungry, and there were mice and squirrels everywhere... I'm sorry." she mewed. Firestar instantly pitied her. She just needed help. Her answer made him feel slightly weary, though. There were so _many _cats who needed his help. He tried to help them all, he let many into the Clan, but there were always more. She was another of the many mouths he tried to keep fed.

"Iunderstand." he sighed. "You can have a bit of fresh-kill and we'll speak more in my den." he braced himself for the outbreak of arguing. It came immediately.

"What?! Firestar, you can't let her stay! Chase her away!" Spiderleg yowled.

"Lookat that collar! Do you forget, Firestar?" Mousefur screeched, attempting to be heard over Spiderleg.

"Stop fighting, everyone! Let Firestar make his own descisions!" Sorreltail yowled furiously, but in vain.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Flower looked very close to tears.

"Quiet, everybody!" Firestar caterwauled. There was silence. "Flower and I will speak privately in my den. Brambleclaw and Sandstorm will sit guard outside the den so we won't be disturbed. Flower, grab a piece of prey from the pil there." She nodded and snatched up a fat squirrel before leaping nimbly up onto the Highledge. As the guards took up their positions, Firestar led the way into the back of his den.

They settled down on the moss. Flower tore ravenously at the squirrel, gulping huge chunks down whole. Firestar was slightly worried she might choke on it. But what made him more nervous was the way she ate. As if she were starving, never going to see food again... He talked while she scarfed down the squirrel. "Flower, where did you get that collar?" he asked directly. She looked up at him shyly, swallowing.

"Y-you're Firestar, right?" she asked timidly. "The leader of ThunderClan?"

Firestar noticed how she completely ignored his question. "Yes, I am." he said patiently.

Flower stood up, smiling. "Hello, Firestar. I've been looking for you for a long time." All traces of her earlier fear were gone. The sudden personality change put him Firestar on edge. She stared evenly at him, regarding him with a slight interest, but something burned in the back of her eyes.

He rose to his paws, unnerved but determined to remain calm. "Why is that?"

Her eyes had deadly glint to them. "My name is Curse." the black and white she-cat snarled. "You killed my father. Prepare to die."

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**That was the line that made me right this whole story. The 'My name is Curse' line. Anyone who is a fan of the movie **_**The Princess Bride **_**will recognize it. That line came to me, and the story formed itself around it. **

**Well, that was an unexpected twist to the story. Sorry this chapter was so short, the next one will be better! Tell me what you think, please!!! Review!**


	4. Firestar's Curse

**Thank you everyone for reading and supporting this Fanfic! Please review! I hope you like it!**

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Curse lunged. Firestar was so shocked, he could only stand there as she slammed into him and threw him over backwards. His head cracked against the smooth stone and he gasped in pain, vision going blurry. He couldn't think straight, but felt a searing pain slash through him and smelled his own blood.

His body acted instinctively as his mind tried to regain control over his thoughts. His hind legs, with claws unsheathed, kicked out so powerfully that Curse's small weight was thrown off of him. He flipped to his feet and gave a battle yowl.

Curse flew at him, enraged, but in midair she was slammed aside by a sandy shape. Sandstorm and Curse went down in a snarling mass of limbs and fur as they viciously attacked each other. Firestar lunged forward to help, grabbing one of Curse's flailing white paws and biting down on her foreleg. She screeched.

Sandstorm slapped her across the face with a paw, raking her claws over her nose. Curse retaliated, snapping her teeth down on Sandstorm's ear . Before she could yank her head back and possibly rip off Sandsorm's ear, Firestar slammed his paws, joints locked, into her chest. She went limp for a second, then turned and leaped at Firestar again, going for his throat. "DIE!" she screamed. He head butted her, ducking under her teeth and claws, and knocked her aside.

Her green eyes burned with hatred and desperation, but after a split second decision, she whirled away and fled only to be blocked. Brambleclaw's stood in front of the only exit, and even though Curse had proved herself to be a deadly fighter, her strength couldn't outmatch the big tabby's.

In his mind's eye, Firestar could see Curse and Brambleclaw as their fathers. He saw Curse tearing Brambleclaw open with one swipe, Brambleclaw's blood pooling in the den. He was filled with horror, but before he could help Brambleclaw, they attacked. The two faced off, then lunged at the same moment.

They each fought bravely, but Tigerstar's son won this battle. He crushed her, belly down, into the moss and stone. She thrashed wildly, and it was only with Firestar and Sandstorm's help that he could keep her pinned.

And then the battle was over. Was it seconds, or hours? Firestar didn't know. His head throbbed, and blood trickled down his left leg. Looking down, he realized Curse had rent open his shoulder with her claws.

Sandstorm clamped her jaws down on Curse's pelt, and Brambleclaw bit onto her collar. Together they dragged Curse down the Highledge into the middle of the camp, while the warriors watched, stunned.

Firestar limped out onto the Highledge. "Restrain her!" he shouted to the warriors. Brackenfur and Sorreltail quickly obeyed him. Squirrelflight did too, running over to Brambleclaw. _But she's had her kits last week, she shouldn't have so much energy… _Firestar thought, dazed.

"What happened?" Dustpelt voice was ice. The cats' shocked faces turned up towards Firestar.

"This cat is a BloodClan cat." Firestar spoke flatly. "She has come here to kill me for killing Scourge." They were too astonished to even gasp.

"That's right!" Curse screeched at him. "I've traveled for so long, just to find you! Find you and kill you!" she added with a touch of insanity. "I am Scourge's daughter!"

"Should we kill her now or take her away from the kits first?" Squirrelflight asked. She wasn't kidding.

Before he could respond, Curse started yowling again. "You see this collar? This was Scourge's collar! They brought it to me, his only heir, after you killed him!"

He spoke loudly over her. "Curse, you will be forced off the territory and if you may not return."

"I am BloodClan's leader now! I inherited his collar and his Clan, and I lead them! We will rise again, and you will regret ever crossing us! Ever crossing me! BloodClan will rise again!" she seemed so upset by the fact that Firestar wasn't dead that she was practically foaming at the mouth.

"If you are found inside our borders again, I give my warriors permission to kill." Firestar said firmly. He remembered when Bluestar had given ThunderClan permission to kill Tigerstar, then Tigerclaw, when he was exiled. But it felt different to say the words himself, to know that if she was killed by one of his warriors, it was partially his fault.

"I will kill you! I've waited so long! You will never sleep peacefully again! You will die for what you've done, and my father will be avenged! My father was Scourge, the scourge of the land, but I am his daughter Curse I am your Curse, Firestar!" Firestar watched as she was half dragged away, her claws tearing at the dirt as she tried to pull herself back towards camp. With Scourge's collar of teeth, now hers, her black and white blood-smeared fur, and her smoldering hate and near insanity, all combined with the memory of her murderous and unmatched fighting skills, made him believe every word she'd said.

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**It's not much longer than the last one, but I thought the ending was good. It was action-packed though, so I think it makes up for it's short length. Now I admit, I am the kind of person who obsesses over each and every review. So, please please please review! **


	5. One Big Hurt

_A big thanks to Coby, who quickly and constantly reviews my stories and for her support with all of them! You're always the first to review! And to everyone else who has reviewed Cursed_, thank you too!

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**Curse sat curled up between the roots of a large tree, shivering as a cold autumn breeze blew through the forest. Her scratches from the brawl with Firestar and his warrior guards had almost healed, though they still stung. The bruises from when the big tabby crushed her against the stone floor of the cave were invisible under her fur, but she could feel them. All her injuries would fade with time, but the memory wouldn't. A weak echo of the pain hung in her mind, and it was so real she could remember what it hurt like even when it didn't. **

**The way it felt when Firestar sank his fangs into her leg. When the she cat had slapped her on her face, claws out. It had hurt. It always hurts. Her whole life was one big hurt. **

**Tears rolled down her cheeks and fell from her nose. Curse rarely allowed these moments of weakness, but they came. She closed her eyes and keened quietly.**

**She had failed her father. She hadn't avenged him, which had been the driving goal in her life since he died. **_**Now what? **_**she thought.**

**Her only option was to go back to BloodClan and lead them. **

_**No. **_**she thought flatly. **_**I will not return to them until I have killed Firestar. Until my task has been completed. **_

**She knew what she would do. She would let her wounds heal, eat lots of prey to get my strength up, and bide her time. When she was ready, she would attack. When they least expected it. **

**Curse wiped away her tears with a paw. "I **_**will **_**return to BloodClan," she whispered. "But only when I wear Firestar's teeth around my neck."**

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**Firestar sat in Leafpool's den, his left front leg stretched out in front of him. Sandstorm laid next to him, her head on her paws. They both needed their wounds to be checked daily. Brambleclaw had a few ugly scratches, but after a few days he didn't need any more care and had returned to his regular duties. **

**Leafpool padded back with a mouth full of several different herbs. Picking up the borage leaves, she began chewing it up. "Sandstorm, your ear is looking much better. It was a nasty bite, but it was at the base of your ear and I don't think it'll scar. Your other scratches are healing nicely too, you're lucky I had enough crushed hawthorne petals to clean the wounds." she continued chatting while she smeared the paste into both of their wounds. "The swelling is almost completely gone on your shoulder, Firestar." she smiled.**

**When she was done, Firestar stood up and stretched. "Thank you, Leafpool. It feels much better now." Sandstorm nodded in agreement. They padded out together with their tails twined. **

**Firestar knew that Curse was out there somewhere, and he hoped she had gone away. But he doubted it. She was too determined and too dead-set on her course of action to change it. He not only feared for himself, but for his Clan. **

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**I realize this is the third short chapter in a row. I've accepted that they'll all be short chapters, but that's okay because there will be a lot of them. Please review!**


	6. Assassin's Mercy

**Wow. I've been churning out these chapters at a speed that shocks even me. When did I start this story? Two or three days ago? I don't remember. Well, enjoy!**

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Curse prowled through the thick undergrowth, a black shadow. The stars shone brightly far above her head, but their light couldn't reach her, hidden as she was. She was well-practiced at sneaking through the night, and she used the skills now.

Since it had been a moon since her first failed attempt, her fur had grown sleek and her belly round. There was so much food in this forest, she might just have to stay here. Never have to run from monsters, never have to scrape a meal out of Twoleg rubbish. But that decision could wait till later.

This time Firestar wouldn't escape. She would slip into his camp like a snake, and slash his throat in the night. Curse knew Clan leaders had nine lives, so she would just have to strip him of however many he had left. Scourge had done it. So she would.

She peered out between the ferns. The camp was right there. Darting up a tree like a squirrel, she crept along the branch, being careful not to shake it. Sliding off the end, she dropped to the ground with a muted thud. Her breath caught. He was right up there, right in that den! Her claws slid out of their sheathes.

Slipping around the wall, she made her way up the cliff. _And not one of his warriors no I'm here. _She grinned.

Curse crouched outside the entrance of the small cave and peered in. Two shapes were nestled in the dark in the back. Firestar and, judging by the scent, the same sandy she cat who had attacked her. Her lips curled back over her teeth. _I might have to kill her to get to Firestar, _she thought. _But even if I don't, I might kill her anyways. _The thought made her smile. She would avenge her father, and take her own little revenge at the same time.

She stalked into the den, moving around until she was directly behind them. Triumph sang through her, but it might've just been adrenaline. Looking down on her two sleeping victims, she positioned herself to tear his throat out.

A yowl shrieked through the camp, so unexpected that Curse jumped in surprise, hitting the stone wall behind her. Firestar leaped to his feet, looking around wildly. The yowling continued, unbroken, but now it formed words. "Intruder! Intruder!"

Curse pressed against the wall, making herself as small as possible. Firestar ran out of his den without ever seeing her. The she cat looked up, and staggered to her feet, shaking her head to clear it. She started after Firestar, then froze, the fur along her spine rising. She turned around slowly, eyes searching the darkness. They locked on Curse.

Curse didn't hesitate. She leaped, bowling straight over the she cat, so fast neither had time to scratch the other. She soared off the Highledge and sprinted past the swarm of cats who had emerged from the various dens. Behind her, she could hear the she cat screaming "Get her! There she is!"

She pelted through the night, her pursuers crashing through the brush behind her. She ran wildly through the trees, in any direction that took her farther away from camp. If they caught her, they would kill her.

But they wouldn't catch her. A fresh burst of speed threw her forward even faster. They were running for anger and revenge, which let them run quickly. But Curse was running for her life, and that let her quicker.

She was running for her life, and she did not want to die.

She ran until she could run no more, coming to a stop she didn't know how far away. Those warriors had stopped chasing her a long time ago, but she had run anyway. Now she came to a stop by a cold, tiny creek. Lapping at the water, she through herself on a bed of nettles and gasped for breath. When her gasping finally slowed, she fell into a restless sleep, a smirk on her face.

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Firestar was shocked. This cat had snuck into his camp, into his _den, _and no one had known. What did this say about ThunderClan's ability to defend itself? They were all fine, capable warriors. So then what did it say about Curse?

He shook his head. After a month of piece he assumed she had given up. He had made a nearly fatal mistake by underestimating his enemies. If Cinderpaw hadn't scented the intruder and sounded the alarm, he would've been killed.

"Brambleclaw." he said. "I want you to arrange for two guards to watch over the camp every night. I will not allow Curse to come here and slash the throats of my warriors as they sleep."

Brambleclaw, of course, was very disturbed by the thought. _It could be me, or Squirrelflight, or even the kits! _he shuddered. But then another thought came to him. "_Two _guards? We'll run out of warriors to hunt and patrol at that rate!"

"Yes, two guards. Every night. It's the only way." Firestar meowed. _Because if there's just one, Curse will kill them. No one will sound the alarm, and we will be at her mercy. _

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**Oh, and I apologize for all the minor errors in spelling and things. And for the fact that the wrong words are sometimes bolded, or italicized. It comes out wrong when I upload it or something. I don't know. Now, REVIEW! Thanks!**


	7. Very Careful

**A/N at the end. Yes, I've continued writing chapters for this story like there's no tomorrow. I apologize for this one being exceptionally short. Enjoy and tell me what you think!!!**

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It had been a half moon since Curse's last 'visit'. Firestar still had guards out every night. The warriors weren't looking good, because they were all working overtime. The apprentices, too. Everyone looked tired, from the work, the coming leaf-bare, and the knowledge that a silent killer could murder them at night. Firestar knew that they couldn't keep this up for much longer. They needed to prepare for the cold, not wait around for Curse. He sighed, worried as any.

She was out there, plotting, waiting to strike again. She was relentless! _How long until one of us _dies_?! _he yelled internally.

He watched the setting sun from the Highledge, thinking. He had to stop with the guards, and pray to StarClan that she wouldn't come back. Firestar still had several lives to protect him, but she could still hurt the rest of the Clan. But working them like this could hurt them more, if ThunderClan got sick or starved or was attacked by another Clan. He had no other options. Tonight they would go without guards.

_StarClan help us, _he thought.

By moonrise, most of the Clan was curled up in their dens, in an uneasy sleep. Sandstorm had gone to bed too, bidding Firestar goodnight. As for Firestar, he laid on the Highledge and stared at the crescent moon.

There was a small scuffling noise off to his right, and Firestar whirled, ready to attack. But it was only Leafpool, padding up the path to where he stood. He settled back down and Leafpool laid next to him, resting her chin on her paws. "Life is so confusing sometimes." he sighed.

Leafpool nodded. "I know what you mean." she was silent for a few moments. "I hope she never comes back." she whispered.

"I do too." Firestar said. They laid on the Highledge for a long time.

The moon had shifted it's place in the sky when a breeze blew past them. It was surprisingly warm for the middle of leaf-fall, and Firestar smelled something on it. A trace of some scent… Then it hit him. Spottedleaf!

He looked around, not wanting to say her name and be questioned by Leafpool. The breeze curled around him, and Spottedleaf's voice whispered in his ear. "Stay alert, Firestar. Newleaf brings death. Be careful."

The breeze faded away, and as it did, Leafpool looked up at the moon. "Firestar…" her whisper was barely audible. "As the three rise, danger lurks. Do not let your guard down, your Curse will return." Her voice echoed hauntingly. Her eyes, fixed on the moon, turned towards him now. "What does it mean?" she whispered.

"I think it means the trouble Curse's caused us is going to get a lot worse." He spoke the words with dread. _And what about Newleaf? _he thought. _Newleaf brings life, not death. _

"I think one thing is clear." Leafpool mewed. "We need to be careful. Very careful."

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**I realize I name a lot of chapters after things the cats say. Oh well. Press the button! Review! Oh, and as I said in chapter three (I think it was chapter three) I will be having the Author's Chat chapter very soon. If you have any questions about the story or Curse's life, please leave them in your review or PM me. Thank you!**


	8. Live or Die

**As you might notice, I have chosen to exclude Stormfur and Brook from this story. I have nothing against them, but they don't belong it. Also, the next chapter is my lovely Author's Chat interview. Enjoy. Review. Thanks.**

**Warning! This chapter is pretty violent.**

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Firestar padded out of the nursery, pleased with life. The warriors had quickly regained their strength now that two of them didn't stay awake all night. Prey was running good for late leaf-fall, and there was little interference from the other Clans. Best of all, they hadn't seen, heard or scented Curse in all that time.

To add to his happiness, little Lionkit, Hollykit and Jaykit were just over a moon old and had started to speak with their tiny squeaky voices. They were fine kits, even if Jaykit was blind. Firestar had visited them and Squirrelflight came along. She had returned to her warrior duties to help, because with Curse out there they had needed her. She seemed very proud of her kits, and they mewed, happy to see her.

Together they strode out into the warmth of the midday sun. The kits tumbled after them but were stopped by Ferncloud. Firestar smiled.

Suddenly Cloudtail ran up to him, panting. "Firestar! Curse has been scented on the territory!"

"What?!" Firestar yelped.

"The scent isn't old, we think she's still here!" Cloudtail said breathlessly.

"Who else was on the hunting patrol?" Firestar asked.

"Me, Brambleclaw, Berrypaw and Brightheart!"

_Thank StarClan they're the only patrol out! _he thought fervently.

Firestar raced to the top of the Highledge. "ThunderClan, gather here quickly!" he yowled, not bothering to use formal words. "Curse is one the territory somewhere, and we need to find her before she attacks. Birchfall, Whitewing, Spiderleg, Ashfur, Dustpelt, Thornclaw, Mousepaw, Hazelpaw and Poppypaw, will stay and defend the camp if necessary! Everyone else comes with me! We finish this today!"

The warriors immediately assembled, grim expressions on their faces. They took off into the forest with Cloudtail in the lead. They reached Brambleclaw and the others, who sighed with relief when they arrived.

"Brambleclaw, take half the warriors and follow the scent. The rest of you, search the nearby area but stay close!" he shouted to the others. They spread out and went straight into action.

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Curse crouched behind a holly bush, listening to my target yowling orders a half a block-length away. He was sending his warriors away. _Perfect._

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Firestar scoured the brush. He knew the little she cat would come to him like a magnet, and leave the others alone if she could avoid it. The thought soothed and frightened him at the same time. "Come out, come out, wherever you are." he muttered.

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Curse froze. Right on the other side of the bush, two cats, one even smaller then herself, were sniffing around in the brambles. One was a golden-furred tabby tom who looked very similar to cat who first found her, and the other was a light brown tabby she cat. The little one looked scared.

If they found her, she would have to fight them. If she fought them, the ret of them would know where she was. If they knew where she was, they would never let her touch Firestar.

Curse barely breathed, eyes fixed on the two. The she cat whimpered slightly, and the tom said "Don't worry, Honeypaw." As soon as the words were out of his mouth the fur along his spine bristled. Eyes sweeping back and forth in Curse's general direction, he crept forward. When he was just starting around the bush she sprang at him and hit him squarely in the chest, sending him flying backwards.

He let out a startled yowl as he fell. The little one screeched something that sounded like "Brick-purr!" which she guessed must be his name. However, she was already flitting away.

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Firestar heard the yowling. He raced for it's source, knowing every other warrior was doing the same. Half of ThunderClan sprinted through the trees, all chasing one single cat.

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Brackenfur led the chase after the she cat. Sometimes the tip of her tail was visible around the side of a tree, but then she would disappear again. But it was clear she wasn't used to running in thick underbrush like this. He sped up, gaining.

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Curse whipped through the forest, but she couldn't shake them. There were too many, and they knew this forest better than her. She bared her teeth in anger. She was so close to the border. If she could just make it…

At that moment, claws snagged onto her haunches and jerked her to a stop. She whirled around and lashed at the face of her attacker. _So we meet again, Brick-purr. _she thought. He had knocked her down, and now the cats piled onto her, biting and scratching angrily, but with precision. They moved like organized soldiers, something BloodClan had never done. Curse had just enough time to appreciate that that before she disappeared under the ThunderClan warriors.

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Firestar watched as Curse was buried in a living tomb. She could have all the wrath of StarClan itself behind her and she still wouldn't be able to defeat all those warriors. There wasn't a need for him to do anything but watch.

She screamed and tore, ripping the warriors open, but couldn't wriggle free. Blood flowed from beneath the warriors' paws, staining them red. It was sickening.

Suddenly, Molepaw's gray form was yanked forward, and he yowled, helpless. The yowl cut off. Firestar grabbed him by the scruff and heaved him back, and he fell to the ground, lifeless. Blood gushed from the open wound where Curse had ripped his throat out. Firestar was frozen, horrified, and didn't move even though the hot blood flowed over his paws. Sorreltail, claws bloody, saw him and shrieked. She threw herself towards Molepaw, sobbing, but Firestar couldn't make out what she said.

His hearing switched back on suddenly. He could barely hear Sorreltail's agonized sobs, because much louder, much more agonized, were Curse's screams. "ENOUGH!" Firestar yowled at the top of his lungs.

The warriors backed away, and in the center of the blood pool was Curse. She was so covered in her own blood that her black fur had turned red. Her injuries looked so much worse than Tigerstar's ever were. She had so many scratches, so many bite wounds, she was torn to pieces. It was a sight hat would haunt Firestar for the rest of his life, but he couldn't tear his eyes from her mangled flesh.

Her back arched and her claws tore lines in the ground. She gave one final shriek, one more shuddering breath, then she lay still.

It was silent except for Sorreltail's quiet crying. Blood soaked the ground.

"Leave the body. Bring Molepaw back to camp. No one will set foot in this clearing for the next moon." Firestar said. The warriors, spattered in blood, nodded. Nobody would want to revisit this place, never again. Brackenfur carried his dead son, his face stricken. The rest slowly started to pad away. They left bloody footprints behind them.

Firestar took one last look at Curse. Her face was twisted with pain, her flanks didn't move. He shuddered.

He knew it was necessary for the Clan, but he felt worse than a murderer.

"_What have I done?"_

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Curse wasn't on Earth. She was somewhere else, floating high above the clouds, in a place so deep within her mind, the agony of dying couldn't touch her.

But unlike most dying cats, a small part of her remained attached to the outside world, thinking and not floating. This part of her knew that she was dying, knew her life was slipping away. She knew that it was quite possible that there was more of her blood outside her body than in it. She knew that she was still fighting to survive.

She forced herself to stop breathing and lie still. Playing dead might be her only chance to stay alive. She couldn't do move to drag herself away, so she did. She stopped breathing, waiting until she had to before taking a shallow pull of air. She didn't have the energy or will to open her eyes and see if the cats were gone. She would wait, because that as all she could do. She would wait to see if she lived or died.

Though at this point, she was certain she was going to die.

_At least I will have died trying. _

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**Finally, a long chapter! **

**Will Curse live or die? You must wait to find out, mwahahaha! I feel so evil right now. ^^ **

**Author's Chat chapter up next! I still have no questions, so oh well. I just tell you about Curse's life.**

**I apologize for the violence. I'm changing the rating to Teen. **

**And you got some pretty interesting viewpoints , there. See the battle from every angle! Fun fun fun. **

**Also, I noticed that I have a tendency to write in first person when I'm writing from Curse's view. "**_**I **_**bared my teeth at" "claws snagged onto **_**my **_**haunches" I guess it just proves how insane I am. 0_0**


	9. Curse's Story

Author's Chat

Here's a bit of history about the life of Curse, and even a few stories told by her. Just so you can get some background information on her, because she has her own story.

First of all, who was Curse's mother? What she cat managed to catch Scourge's eye? The answer to that question is Flicker.

Flicker was a BloodClan cat. She was in Scourge's inner ranks, though she refused to wear a collar. She fought in a few of their battles, but wasn't very devoted to BloodClan. The reason she was in his inner circle was because she was excellent at surviving on the streets and had an unusually sharp mind.

Flicker is a light brown tabby, with flecks of gold. She has long legs and flecked green eyes. She was born a stray, and has lived her life as a rogue, occasionally traveling beyond the city but usually staying in it.

More than a mate, Scourge wanted kits. Someone to carry on his legacy, to lead BloodClan when he died. He chose Flicker to be his mate because she was healthy, beautiful, smart, had a tough, sly attitude and wasn't the thing Scourge hated most: weak. Flicker knew Scourge was a powerful cat, and her kits would do well because of it. They both loved each other, but not that much. If one of them had to die, each would choose their own life over the other's.

Curse was the single cat Scourge truly loved in his life. She was born barely seven months before he died, and in that time he helped raise her.

When she was born, Scourge wanted a name that was similar in meaning to his own. Curse was perfect. Flicker liked the deadly- sounding name and agreed.

Curse is the only kit Scourge ever had, and he adored her. More than that, he taught her to share his love for power and helped her learn how to achieve it. In her seven months of life, Scourge pressed as much of his own bloodthirstiness and ruthlessness. He taught her his best fighting moves, and she was born with the skill to be excellent. He would give her mice and rats and birds, sometimes alive, to practice on. He pitted her against other BloodClan kits in mock fights. Under his training, she flourished.

But it is Flicker who taught her how to survive. She showed her daughter how to make a meal out of anything, whether it be animal or plant or rubbish. She taught her how to creep along silently, undetected. She taught her lots of things needed to live as a BloodClan cat. ………………………………................................................................................

_I lashed out at an invisible enemy, then lunged forward and bit the air. Spinning around, I dropped to the floor and rolled, then sprang up and leapt on the back of another invisible cat. "How's that?" I asked, panting. _

"_Excellent." Scourge purred. "But still not good enough. You must focus. Precision is the key."_

_I nodded, and returned to my first stance. I would try until I was good enough._

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Then there was the day Scourge was killed in battle. Flicker was upset, but Curse was horrified.

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_Something is wrong. Where are Bone and Scourge? They wouldn't send the others back without them. Would they? Where is my father?_

"_Mama, what's going on? He said he was only going to find us a better home, but why isn't he back yet?" I asked._

"_Hush, kitten." Flicker said. She watched the returning cats with wary eyes. She knew more than she was telling. _

_Nearly an hour later, the thin gray-furred cat known as Fang padded up to us. Like he others, he bore the signs of battle. In his teeth he carried Scourge's collar. He wasn't as vicious as the other BloodClanners, so when he walked directly up to me Flicker didn't stop him. _

"_He is dead?" Flicker asked, grief in her voice. _

"_Yes." Fang said. He laid the collar at my paws. "It's yours now, Curse. BloodClan is yours."_

"_What happened to Scourge?" I said, but deep in my heart I already knew. _

_Fang hesitated, and Flicker nodded. Fang began, "Your father died a brave death, leading BloodClan in battle. He-" _

"_Who did this?" I snarled flatly. "Who killed Scourge?" _

"_His name is Firestar." _

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Fang explained what happened, then spoke quietly with Flicker for a long time. Curse was in shock. She didn't know what to do. She was so young.

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"_Well, goodbye, Curse and Flicker. And good luck." Fang flicked his tail and padded off. _

_When he was gone, my mother spoke. "Stay here, Curse. I'm going to think for a while."_

_I looked at her surprised. "Aren't you sad? Don't you care at all that he's dead?" _

"_A bit, kitten. But Scourge chose his fate. He took a risk, and paid for his foolishness. Because, kitten, only the strongest survive." She bounded away into the shadows. _

_I couldn't believe it. She barely cared. A single tear fell. "I am strong. I will survive." I whispered. "I'll kill this Firestar. For you, Scourge." _

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Curse continued to live with her mother, who continued to teach her. She perfected her food-getting skills, and every night she practiced what Scourge had taught her, over and over. Every day Scourge's collar fit her a little better, and it wasn't long before Curse was adding her own trophies to it.

At one year of age Curse struck out on her own. After all, Flicker was already pregnant with Curse's half siblings. She didn't need to mother Curse too.

By this time, Curse was everything her father was. Cunning, quick, and ruthless. She went straight to work re-building BloodClan. It was hard work, but through threats and violence she proved her strength and the cats obeyed her.

When she left to hunt down Firestar, BloodClan was still small. She'd left her second-in-command, Fang, to watch over BloodClan for her.

A note on Fang: As mentioned, he isn't very bloodthirsty or aggressive, but he's intelligent and fair, and was always kind to Curse, which is why she chose him. He intended to use Curse's away time to straighten things out. Organize cats to bring back prey, not rubbish. He banned BloodClan warriors from attacking or stealing from the elderly or sick cats, or any with kits or about to have kits. His biggest wish was to change BloodClan's name, but he knew Curse would never agree. Under Fang, BloodClan was actually going somewhere.

Curse traveled for three moons, following the whispers and rumors. She plotted deep into the long hours of the night, planning how she would kill Firestar.

She decided that once he was dead, she would add a tooth or two to her collar, then make her escape before his warriors could avenge him. Upon returning to BloodClan, she would declare herself the killer of Firestar, and the supreme ruler of BloodClan.

As you know, things did not go as planned. Right now, Curse lies dying near the ThunderClan border. She might not survive. If she doesn't, Scourge's legacy will crumble to dust. But Curse intends to live.


	10. Helpless

**The moment of truth! I hope you like it, tell me what you think!**

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Curse opened her eyes. She felt hollow. The pain was gone. A long time ago it had turned into shock. That wasn't a good sign.

It was night by now, though the moon wasn't very high in the sky. The blood, thick as it was, had dried into her fur. Her wounds sat open and untended, and small bugs had started to fly around her, as if she was already dead.

But she wasn't dead. She had survived the initial injuries. None of them had been fatal, because the cats had simply torn her to shreds.

She wasn't dead, but she would most certainly be dead soon. Her injuries would become infected, and that would kill her. Or she wouldn't be able to hunt and starve. Or some fox or dog or other creature would come and finish her off. She wasn't dead yet, but she would die. This way, it was just more drawn-out and painful.

Curse might've been shredded, but she was pretty sure nothing was broken. Even if it was, she would've gotten up and started walking anyway. Even if all of her leg bones had snapped, she would've attempted to drag herself. Because she was still fighting.

Luckily nothing _was _broken. With a moan, she climbed to her paws and looked around, dazed. She was very thirsty. She needed to find water. There was a pond north of here. Turning herself to face north, Curse staggered away. Before she left the bloody clearing, she pulled off the collar and hid it in the safety of a thorny bush. _If I don't make it, at least our collar will. _

For thirty minutes she blundered, half dead, through the forest. As she neared the place where the pond was, a feeling of dread sank into her. She broke through a swath of trees, and her suspicions were confirmed. A wide Thunderpath stretched between her and the pond.

_I can't do it. _She thought with the hazy panic of an injured animal that knows it's going to die. _I can't do it. _She wasn't fast enough to cross the Thunderpath. If she tried, a monster could easily come and kill her before she could escape.

Her legs gave way, and she collapsed to the ground. Tears of defeat leaked from her eyes. What cruel twist of fate had led her to this? The water was so close, yet she couldn't touch it. The same single-minded determination that had pushed her to find Firestar, that had pushed her to stagger through the forest in a desperate bid for life, was sucked from her. She couldn't do it.

_So I really am going to die, and there's nothing I can do about it. _Curse wasn't frustrated, wasn't angry, wasn't surprised. She was just… _sad. _She was so bitterly sad that her life had to end this way.

For a while, she thought. If she was going to die either way, the least she could do was attempt to cross the Thunderpath and get to the water. It was very unlikely she'd make it, but at least she'd die trying. _Die trying, _she thought. _The best death you can have, other than to maybe die in battle. _

But Curse couldn't even try. It wasn't just the fact that her legs probably had grown to weak to move her mangled body. She had lost any will to fight left in her. She could picture herself shuffling across the black stone, then being struck and crushed by a monster. The thought frightened her too much. She'd never been so helpless.

Many monsters roared by, their lights sweeping over her. The night dragged on, and Curse drifted. What finally roused her curiosity was the sound of crunching gravel and the hum of a monster nearby. She cracked open her eyes to the monster sitting on the side of the path. A human walked toward her, a black silhouette against the moon and stars above. The human leaned over her, and scooped her up in its paws. Never before in her life had a human carried her like this.

The human made sad, shocked sounds. Curse had started not to care what happened to her. Let the human do their worst.

It set her on something soft, inside the belly of the monster. The monster's side shut, and it started to growl again. It whisked her away into the night, and everything went black.

Curse awoke to find herself in a strange place. She felt very stiff and sick, and her mind was foggy. Blinking, she noticed she was wrapped in soft, tough white stuff that was clearly human made. It circled her limbs and body, covering her wounds.

To her horror she realized a long, clear tube-thing was stuck into her lower leg. It trailed away before connecting to a sack of strange smelling liquid. She went to pull it out with her teeth, and realized her head was circled with something hard that prevented her from getting at the tube or other white stuff. From her alley days, she knew it was plastic. She frowned through the mental-fog. The thing was immensely annoying.

Taking stock of her surroundings, she noticed that she was in a metal box of sorts. One side was a metal grid, and outside it she could see more cages like hers. Otherwise, it was a plain white-and-metal human room.

It was the smell of the whole place that worried her, though. It smelled of humans and animals, but there was a sharp, pungent odor mixed in. It made her fur stand on end.

For days, Curse sat in her small metal cage. The humans would bring some mushy, wet food stuff that smelled extremely strong. It was better than pellet-food, even if it had traces of some strange taste in it. Every now and then the humans would lift her from the cage and poke ate her injuries. The tube in her leg came out, and the days turned into weeks.

And Curse didn't die.

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**I think that ended rather nicely. Please review!**

**I'm actually very proud of myself. When I seriously injured Curse, I knew she was going to live but just didn't know how. Would some random cat who knew herbs come along and heal her? Unlikely. Would Curse simply recover? No, her injuries were far too severe. I puzzled over this for a long time, and finally- ding! – I had my answer. People! They had they ability to heal such deadly injuries, and a motive to. Would you leave some poor injured little cat laying by the side of the road? **

**Okay, I'm done. Just had to share my light bulb moment. **


	11. A New Plan

**I'm feeling generous. A plushie to whoever reviews!**

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Curse became very bored and frustrated with her new way of living. She spent all her time in the small cage, only coming out when the humans let her. And when they did, it was to hold her down against a cold metal table and look at her healing wounds. They often stuck needles into her, or performed some other painful task involving her sore injuries. It was not enjoyable the slightest bit, and if it hurt too much Curse would attempt to scratch the humans.

The plastic-collar was the worst part, though. She couldn't get at her wounds, but she couldn't groom herself hear properly, either. It was hot and itchy and uncomfortable, and though Curse had tried several times, she couldn't remove it.

_If I have to live like this for much longer, _Curse thought, _I'm going to go insane. _

Luckily for Curse, after another week things had come to an end. She had no idea when it was, because she couldn't tell what season it was from inside the human building, or even what time of day it was. The many miserable days stuck here had melted together in her memories, so they weren't of any help either.

But at the end of that week, the plastic-collar had come off, along with all the white stuff. Examining herself, she found that all that remained of her injuries were scars hidden under her fur.

After a meal of human-stuff, a medium sized she-human walked over to Curse's cage. She opened the grate-door and held up a small, dark container. Curse pressed herself against the far wall. She'd seen those things before. "Oh, no," she hissed. "I am _not _getting in there."

The human didn't care. She picked Curse up (who protested loudly) and half shoved her into the tiny cage. The cage, containing one very angry Curse, was loaded into the back of a monster with other animals. It rumbled to life and roared away.

During the ride, Curse sat fuming in her cage. She hated this, every bit of it. _It's time for me to leave, I think. _When the dog in the cage next to her bared his teeth, she snarled so fiercely that he pinned his ears back and looked away.

After nearly an hour, the monster stopped. The back of it opened, sunlight streaming in. Two humans leaned in and started pulling the cages out. They pulled out each animal one by one, tossing the empty cage back in. Whenever a dog was released, the humans immediately jerked a loop of shiny-rope-stuff over its head. The loop tightened around its neck and was attached to a long metal pole, which the humans used the drag the dog inside the building. For each cat, a human would simply pick it up and grip it tightly by the scruff of its neck, pinning the struggling creature to the human's body with its other arm.

It all made sense now. The loop-poles, the sound of many barking dogs, the rough voices of humans, the smell of dirt and metal. _The pound. _

Flicker had warned Curse about the pound. _"It's a place where humans take stray dogs and cats," _she'd said solemnly. _"If you go in there, you never come out." _Curse's heart started racing, the gears in her mind working overtime to form some sort of escape plan.

Not a minute later, a large, smelly human pulled her cage out of the monster. He jerked open the grate-door but stuck his gloved paw in before Curse had time to slip out. So she went to Plan B. As the human picked her up by the scruff, she went limp. He held his other arm under her belly, but his hand kept hold.

As he approached the building, Curse remained motionless, not struggling at all. The human was two paces away from the door…

The little cat flew into a rage, spitting and twisting wildly. The human was so surprised he dropped her. Landing on her paws, she darted away into the nearby brush. Behind her, the human had quickly regained his senses and started pursuing her, shouting wildly the whole time.

_Too bad for you, you… toothless prey! _Curse hissed in her mind, using a particularly nasty and inventive BloodClan insult. _You are nothing but a smelly, blundering, dog-brained human, and _I _am a cunning, vicious, BloodClan LEADER! _

The human stumbled through the brush, looking behind bushes and brambles for her. _Not today, my friend, _she thought. Flitting away silently, she raced towards the city.

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That night, Curse was resting high in the branches of a maple tree, in the backyard of some human family. It was midwinter, snow on the ground. It was very cold, but she would rest here tonight, and continue on in the morning.

She vaguely recognized this place. She remembered traces of the same scents, could picture the different landmarks. She realized she had ended up in one of the towns she'd wandered through on her journey to find the Clans.

And now that she knew where she was, she knew where the Clans were. In the weeks she'd spent healing in the strange-smell-white-metal-place, she'd formed several plans in her mind. Eventually she settled on one.

_I can't fight them alone, _she had thought. _Even sneaking into the camp at night won't work, he'll have guards. I have only one option now. _

The next day at sunrise she set out, straight for the Clan's territories. She made a beeline for the battle clearing, skirting the edges of the rabbit-eater-Clan's borders. Running at a steady rhythm, she sprinted into the ThunderClan forests. She would _not _leave her collar behind. The first step in her plan was to retrieve it.

By mid-afternoon, she'd found it. The scent of Firestar's warriors wafted her way, but it was just the wind. Curse hadn't crossed the border yet.

She made a quick circle. The whole place was blanketed in a light snow, covering up any traces of the terrible fight that occurred here. It was slightly disappointing.

Nosing at the bush, she purred in triumph at the sight of the familiar purple collar. It was cold and wet, and slightly stiff, but she tugged it over her head. Now that she had her collar, everything was right in the world.

Curse turned herself around, like an arrow on a compass. When she faced south-east, she started walking. It would take a while, especially since she couldn't travel directly to them, but she was satisfied to walk. BloodClan was waiting for her.

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**Don't think it's over yet. After all, it's only mid-winter. And the true danger comes in newleaf. **


	12. The Way I Am

**Thanks to xxSnowfirexx for reviewing that last chapter, a free Hawkfrost plushie to you!**

**I'm still feeling generous. More free plushies!**

**It's a little short, but I like this chapter. Hope you do too. **

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Curse sat on top of a dumpster. It was late winter, and while the air was frigid, there was little snow on the ground here.

She sat calmly, regally, head high with her tail wrapped around her paws. Fang, her deputy, sat on an overturned garbage can to her right. Below her, nearly fifty BloodClan cats milled around in the alley. They quickly assembled, staring up at their leader. They looked rounder and cleaner, with fewer wounds, much to Fang's pleasure.

"Cats of BloodClan," Curse said. "As many of you have guessed, I have not yet succeeded in killing my father's murderer." Muttering broke out.

"Silence," she said. "Yes, I've heard the rumors. You all have guessed correctly. I tell you this because you are going to help me." They hissed, shocked.

"So, Curse," a tom named Smoke sneered. "You have failed in avenging Scourge, which you swore you'd do, and now you're begging for our help? I think-"

"I personally do not care _the slightest _what you think, Smoke. As for begging for help, I'm not. I'm giving all the _brave_ BloodClan warriors an opportunity to help kill the killer of the second greatest cat that ever lived. What higher honor is there, to be known as so powerful that you helped defeat the killer of Scourge?" Curse said.

Smoke narrowed his eyes, but every cat could see the offer Curse was giving them. She smiled. She had dangled the carrot in front of their noses, and they would bite…

"Well, I'll do it!" a cat yowled. Curse sighed. Of course, that would be Blood. Blood and Death were Bone's twin sons. They were both idiots, just like their father. Only he would come up with stupid names like Blood and Death.

Blood, the brother who had called out, looked just like his father. Same large body, same black and white fur, same blank expression. Death was similar in size, but was the same sooty gray their mother was, and he had the same pinched face of the mean she cat. And they were both complete idiots.

"I'll go too!" Death immediately yowled, not to be outdone. Having two blockheads volunteer first wasn't the most effective way to get cats to do what you say, but Curse did the best she could to use it to her advantage.

"Our first two brave cats!" she yowled, cheering them on. "You both are worthy BloodClan warriors!"

Soon, most of the other cats agreed, yowling out their support. They all wanted to be 'worthy'. Fang rolled his eyes and looked up at her, knowing what she was doing.

The moon was directly overhead, making each cat's fur glow with an eerie light. All but two of the fifty cats had pledged to follow Curse back to the Clans. Even Smoke had agreed to come. As for the cats that had refused, one was a pregnant she cat and the other was a coward.

"Warriors of BloodClan!" Curse yowled. "We meet five days from now, at this spot! Spread the word, my warriors, and repeat the message to everyone who missed this meeting! BloodClan mothers will tell their kits stories of your bravery! ThunderClan mothers will tell their kits stories of the fear caused by you, and the dreadful day when their great leader was finally defeated! BloodClan! BloodClan! BloodClan! BloodClan!"

"BloodClan! BloodClan! BloodClan!" They took up her chanting, yowling wildly into the night.

"SILENCE!" Curse thundered after several moments of chanting. When the cats stopped, she said, "Remember, five days. Spread the message." Waiting for it to sink in, she purred, "Now…"

"GO!" she screeched, spitting as she lunged forward to the edge of the dumpster, only her claws keeping her from falling off. They ran away quickly and fearfully, knowing it was quite possible their leader wasn't sane.

"So, Fang," she purred, turning to where her deputy still sat on the garbage can. "What do you think?"

"I think your leading style is very good, because you can motivate them with reason as well as use fear to control them. I also think you are good at making other cats like Smoke appear worthless and stupid when they oppose you."

She smiled. "What else?"

Fang sighed. "I also _also _think that you are terrifying and possibly insane."

"Thank you Fang." Curse purred. "That's exactly how it should appear, because that's exactly what I am." Rubbing her tail under the gray tom's chin, she leapt off the dumpster and disappeared into the dark.

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**I have come to truly love Curse as a character. I've never wrote about a cat so deadly, determined, furious… and insane. I honestly think she is, a slight little bit. It makes her all the more lovable. She's my favorite character I've ever made!!!**

**As always, I love reviews. More free plushies!**


	13. Waiting Game

**Thanks to Earthwhisper for reviewing! Here's a Tawnypelt plushie!**

**Also thanks to Mosshadow. Here's a Yellowfang plushie!**

**And also **_**also **_**thanks to Wildstar Leader of ThunderClan, here's a Dustpelt plushie!**

**Now here you go!**

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Firestar padded through the quiet forest. The breeze still carried traces of the freezing leaf-bare cold, but the forest had welcomed the fresh life of newleaf. Pale yellow light filtered through the branches above, and tiny green plants were sprouting everywhere.

He was very happy with the way things were. ThunderClan had survived another leaf-bare with little misfortune. Squirrelflight's kits were a moon away from being made apprentices, and they were growing healthy and strong, full of potential.

There were only two things that worried him. Thinking of his grand-kits had reminded him of the prophecy, which he was sure referred to them. The fact that they could destroy or save the code gave them a power no cat had had before.

The other thing bothered him was the other prophecy, and Spottedleaf's warning. All he knew was that newleaf brought some sort of great danger, which ended in death for someone, or more than just one 'someone'. 'Down let your guard down', Spottedleaf had said. But for what? What was coming?

…………………………………………………………………………………….

"Are you sure?" Curse growled.

"Yes, leader." The warrior named Blaze dipped her head. "The dog severely wounded one of our warriors, and injured another, but we drove it off quickly. Not without its own wounds, of course. I don't think it will be causing us any more trouble."

Curse raked her claws, adorned with dog teeth, through the dirt. "Who was injured?"

"One of the lesser cats, a tom called Pigeon, is badly hurt, and will probably die. The other one is my sister, Freeze." Blaze said nervously. Freeze and Blaze were twins, and they were some BloodClan's best warriors, carrying out many missions together. Blaze sincerely hoped her sister wouldn't be left to die.

"Freeze?!" Curse spit. One of her strongest cats! "How bad is she?"

"She's got some deep puncture wounds, and was shaken pretty hard."

"Patch her up as best you can. She'll come with us, and just have to do her best." Curse decided. "As for… Pigeon, did you say his name was? He'll have to stay here and deal with his injuries."

Blaze nodded, relieved. Pigeon would be abandoned to fend for himself, but Freeze had a chance… She padded off to help her sister.

Curse frowned. Moving nearly sixty cats over such a large amount of land had taken a toll on her. Pigeon was the fourth cat she'd lost on this journey. As for the rest, they were all hungry and tired. They had to scrounge for whatever food was nearby. That was normal, but here in this strange place, after walking for hours, made it a lot harder. Some cats were so desperate they'd begun chasing away kittypets to steal their food, if the food was outside the kittypet's nest.

They were close to the Clans home, resting nearby in the town where the pound was. They were close, but she wouldn't attack immediately. When her cats had gathered their strength, they would move in and attack. BloodClan would crush Firestar and his warriors. They would chase ThunderClan away, and then Curse would let her cats do whatever they wanted. Destroy the camp, steal all the prey, attack the other Clans. When they were done, they'd travel home in pride, to be greeted by all the BloodClan cats that had stayed behind.

It had taken weeks of threats, demands, anger and a bit of insanity to get the cats here. But Curse had done it. Scourge would be proud.

_But he will be even prouder, _Curse thought at she looked over her tooth-armored claws, _when I rip out Firestar's throat. Or maybe he'll be jealous. After all, I would've done what he hadn't, and I would the most powerful cat ever._

……………………………………………………………………………………**..**

**I realize this chapter is extremely short, and I apologize. I needed to update the story to the journey, but there really wasn't much more to say.**


	14. Broken

**Thanks to all my reviewers, and sorry for the wait. School, I know, it's happened to everyone. It's unavoidable. But enjoy.**

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Firestar jolted awake, head whipping around in confusion. The gray light of pre-dawn shone down, casting pale shadows. Horrendous screams split the air, mixed in with battle yowls. His pelt prickling with dread, Firestar sprang onto the Highledge.

Below him was chaos. Cats of all shapes and sizes were locked in a furious, confused struggle all throughout camp. The sight and sound were like something straight out of a nightmare. _I wonder if this was how Brightheart felt when she was running from the dogs, _Firestar thought. _Trapped, without a hope of escape._

At that moment Goldenflower appeared. The left side of her head was soaked with blood. "Firestar, help!" she screeched. "BloodClan is back! No one knows what to do, there are too many… Too… ma-" She trailed off as her eyes rolled back into her head. Her legs buckled, and she collapsed in a dead faint.

Adrenaline slamming through him, Firestar leaped over and into the clearing. His paws had barely touched the ground when something hit him square in the back, knocking into the shadows by the camp wall. Gasping for breath, he heard Curse's voice sing "Surprise, surprise!"

_ _

"Curse?!" Firestar spluttered. "How- but- you're dead!"

"Apparently even _I _get nine lives." She continued to speak in a happy, pleasant tone.

"That's impossible! StarClan would never give a BloodClan cat-"

"Hush." Curse ordered, flexing her teeth-encased claws against his shoulders to make her point clear. Then, strangely, she backed away. Spitting out dirt, he whirled to his feet. Curse watched him like he was a mouse pinned under her claws. Slowly, deliberately, she began to circle him. Firestar mirrored her pawsteps, and black fur and orange fur circled one another.

"Curse, it doesn't have to be this way. Cats of both Clans will die if you keep this up," Firestar pleaded, trying to reason with her.

"Silly." Curse purred, but didn't halt her pacing. "My cats outnumber yours two to one. We'll slaughter you. It's already begun." She gestured towards the fight with her tail, but Firestar didn't dare look away.

"Take me then. I'm the one you want. They've done nothing."

"Don't try to fool me." Curse hissed. "It hasn't been that long. I'd bet at least half of them fought in the last battle our Clans had." She paused. "And now we fight again. But this time, if they try to fight, they will die. The only logical option is to abandon their Clan mates and save themselves. But ThunderClan is far too noble to ever do that. You attempting to sacrifice yourself proves that-"

Firestar cut her off. He knew she was right. They had to escape. "FLEE!" he yowled as loud as he possibly could. "Leave, everyone!"

Others took up his call. "Run for your lives! Get the kits! To WindClan! RUN!"

Cats scattered in all directions. Firestar bolted as well, leading several away to the ShadowClan border. He caught a glimpse of Daisy and Ferncloud each carrying a kit.

Curse sprang onto the Highledge. "Let them go, BloodClan! We have won!" They howled in triumph.

The rising sun shined orange on the destruction of ThunderClan. A broken, shattered, Clan.

_ _

Curse was perched atop the rock ledge where Firestar made his announcements. She ran her claws through the fine, sandy dirt, wiping them clean of blood. When they were spotless, she surveyed the damage below. She'd ordered BloodClan to retrieve any bodies they found, no matter what Clan they were. Three dead cats lay in the center of the camp.

The first was a pale golden she cat, one of ThunderClan's. She was old, not much use in the battle. Her body had been found near the ledge.

The second was Blood. His gray fur was stained with blood, his face twisted in a snarl. _Pity, _Curse thought. _He was a good fighter._

The third was a young gray and white tom, another ThunderClanner. He had been caught and killed while he was trying to flee with the others.

_Two Thunder, one Blood. Not bad, _Curse thought. She'd already given the order for BloodClan to do whatever they wanted. Strange herbs lay scattered and trampled, and all the prey had been eaten.

As for herself, she'd already decided to sleep in Firestar's old den. _It is, after all, the leader's den. And I'm the leader now. _

The first day of living in ThunderClan's old territory was over. The sun cast blood-red light, which was most fitting. Belly full of mice, Curse stretched. Later, they would hunt down Firestar and kill him. But she had all the time she wanted. He would never escape.

"Fang!" she called to the deputy. He padded over curiously, wearing a threadbare black collar.

"Yes?" he asked.

"Why don't you sleep in the leader's den for me? It's big enough for two, probably more."

"Sure," said Fang. _At least I don't have to sleep in one of the other cramped dens. _"I'll sleep on that side, then."

"Excellent." Curse purred, settling onto the moss. "Wake me at dawn."

…………………………………………**.**

**No, Curse and Fang aren't mates, and probably never will be. **

**Hope you loved it! If not, hope you at least liked it. Remember to review, and if you do, you might get something special…**

**A revelation to all who are big fans of this story: I found what just might be Curse's theme song. It would fit better if she was singing to her kits (not that she has any), but it still is perfect. It's the song 'My Lullaby' from Lion King 2. Zira sings it. Look up the whole song on youtube to really understand it (it's a good song, you should hear it anyways). But I picked a few specific lyrics that really apply to Curse. Pretend she's singing:**

"**I've been exiled, persecuted, left alone with no defense… But I dream a dream so pretty, that I don't feel so depressed"**

"**Now the past I've tried forgetting and my foes I could forgive. Trouble is, I know it's petty, but I hate to let them live!"**

"**Oh, the battle may be bloody, but that kinda works for me."**

"**Scourge (Scar) is gone, but Curse (Zira) is still around."**

"**And then our flag will fly! Against a blood-red sky! That's my lullaby!"**

**The song is great. When you listen to it, keep thinking 'Curse, Curse is singing.' I love it!**


	15. Death Toll Rising

**I realized after I was writing this that I mentally got WindClan and RiverClan territories mixed up. For the sake of this chapter, just pretend that RiverClan shares a border with ThunderClan.**

**I also realized I made a mistake in the last chapter; I described Blood as having gray fur, but his fur is black and white. It's his brother Death who has gray fur. My apologies.**

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"Blackstar, please," said Firestar. "Only together can we defeat BloodClan! We _need _your help!"

Blackstar's face remained impassive. Shrugging, he turned away. "It sounds like this is ThunderClan's problem. I see no reason to involve my Clan."

Firestar bristled. "You'll allow another Clan to be destroyed while you hide in your camp? That's pathetic. And they'll come after you next, you know. You can't defeat them alone."

"I'm just doing what's best for my Clan!" Blackstar snarled furiously. "If you can't even stop some kit throwing a tantrum then maybe someone else should be leader!" Russetfur hissed at his side.

Though he was ready to claw Blackstar's eyes out, Firestar restrained himself. "Fine, then," he hissed. It wasn't enough to say that his voice was like ice. It was colder and harder than the faraway stars. "Don't fight with us. StarClan help your traitorous souls."

"Get out of my territory," Blackstar said simply. "Now."

Firestar turned without a word. "ThunderClan! We're leaving!"

The cats looked up in surprise. Many, no, all, of them were wounded in some way. There were nearly a dozen cats in the ShadowClan camp, the rest having been scattered throughout RiverClan and WindClan. This meant Firestar still didn't know who had died.

Of one cat he was certain. After they arrived in ShadowClan, Spiderleg had stumbled out of the woods, bleeding heavily. Littlecloud had done his best, but Spiderleg couldn't be saved. The sadness of his death, and the horror of how it happened, left everyone in a daze.

Firestar led the way towards WindClan territory. Hopefully Onestar was feeling generous and would let them stay in camp. _As long as he helps us fight Curse, _he thought.

As they walked silently towards the WindClan border, Thornclaw moved forward and kept pace besides Firestar. Firestar glanced over at the golden tom.

"I'm sorry, Firestar," Thornclaw blurted.

"Sorry? For what?" Firestar mewed, surprised.

"Sorry for bringing Curse to camp, for not killing her on the spot when I had the chance!" Thornclaw moaned. "It's my fault this happened! My fault that Spiderleg is dead, that we have to beg the other Clans for help, that this whole mess even started."

"No, Thornclaw," Firestar said quietly. "This isn't your fault. If anything, it's mine. I let her into camp. I let her escape, again and again, because I felt sorry for her. And also, because, she wouldn't have ever come here if it wasn't for me."

--

Onestar was reluctant, but he agreed. The small group f ThunderClan cats curled up together, spilling out of the dens, there were so many of them. To Firestar's relief, Lionpaw, Hollypaw, and Sorreltail were already there. They claimed to have abandoned the over-crowded RiverClan camp for WindClan.

Firestar lay pressed against Mousefur and Ashfur. His whole family was gone, and he could only hope they were safe in RiverClan. He had insulted Blackstar in his anger, and now ShadowClan probably wouldn't help them fight. And Curse and her BloodClan rouges were lurking in ThunderClan territory. Life couldn't get much worse.

--

Leopardstar was silent as Firestar explained his situation. Brambleclaw had already told her, but she wanted to hear it from Firestar himself.

"I will fight," she announced immediately after Firestar finished talking. "Not because it's right, not because I pity ThunderClan," she said. "But because BloodClan will be after us next, and we must defeat them now before they do." Her eyes hardened. "But you will owe me. ThunderClan will owe RiverClan long after we're both dead, until the debt is fulfilled. Why? I blame you for brining this menace upon us. This is your fault."

Her words echoed harshly in Firestar's ears. _Yes, it is my fault. And I intend to fix my mistake._

--

It was almost time. The battle would be any day now. The final battle between the Clans and BloodClan.

RiverClan was fighting, and WindClan. There had been no word from ShadowClan.

As for ThunderClan, Firestar had finally figured out what had happened after he'd given the order to flee. Apparently, Goldenflower died after she had gasped her final words to Firestar. According to Cloudtail, she had been defending the other elders when two she-cats, a silver white and ginger tabby, had attacked her. He said he thought one of the she-cats called the other 'Freeze' but lost sight of Goldenflower when an unknown tom jumped on him.

According to Ferncloud, as she ran away carrying Foxkit, she's pretty sure she saw a brown tabby tom leap on Mousepaw. She saw Mousepaw go down, and not get up. She wanted to help, but didn't want to put her kit in danger.

So Goldenflower, Mousepaw, and Spiderleg were all dead. When Firestar asked about and BloodClan cats, Squirrelflight and Brambleclaw both swore that they had worked together to kill a cat identical to Bone. "I bet it was a kit of his," Brambleclaw growled.

Since BloodClan arrived, ThunderClan had lost four of its cats. The rest were immensely sad, but they pushed their feelings aside so they could focus on their fury. They would not let BloodClan escape.

--

The three fighting Clans gathered on the Island. Onestar, Leopardstar, and Firestar stood at the heads of their Clans, ready for war. Turning, Leopardstar spoke first. "RiverClan," she yowled, her voice echoing around the small clearing. "The filth known as BloodClan has returned! We beat them once, and we will do it again! We will not be stopped! Show no mercy, and we will give them a fight to remember!" The warriors respond with yowls and snarls, fierce as lions.

When her speech was over, Onestar stepped forward. "WindClan," he said, quietly, determination in his voice. "We fight today for all the Clans. We will destroy BloodClan once and for all. Just remember your strategies, and work together. We can do this." WindClan nodded, deadly glints in their eyes. As steadily and purposefully as a stalking leopard.

"ThunderClan," Firestar's voice rang around the clearing, not as loudly as Leopardstar's. "It is our time. You have seen your Clanmates fight and die around. If you don't fight for yourself, fight for them. BloodClan has pushed us too far," he said, his voice growing louder. "And we will not let them get away with it! Fight for your Clan, your family, everything that you stand for! We fight today!" ThunderClan yowled battle cries, calling out names of those who they had lost to BloodClan, from this battle or the last, roaring like tigers.

Together, the three Clans left the Island and walked towards ThunderClan territory.

………………………………………………………**..**

**I'm sorry. I feel that this isn't one of my better chapters, but I haven't worked on this tory in a while, and am updating it now. **

**Please leave a review, even if you thought it was bad! They encourage me to write more!**


	16. The End

**Sigh. I'm back everyone, and happy to be so. But I feel so bad, leaving you all hanging like that. I really shouldn't of, but I just… I don't know. I'm really sorry, and I wish I could make it up to you.**

**I'll make the ending the best I possibly can, because this story was just so epic. I really love it. Please, please, please review and let me know you haven't vanished in the time it took me to update. I'll add the epilogue soon, and then it'll all be over.**

**Please review, because I want to make this story's final moments some of the best.**

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Flashback, two days before the battle

_"We can't let her do this!" _

_ "Who knows how many she's willing to kill to get to Firestar? She'll slaughter the Clan if she can!"_

_ "We're the only ones who can stop her. We are the Three. We have powers. This is why we were born. The fate of the Clans rests in our paws."_

_ "Jaypaw, you can't be serious!"_

_ "No, Lionpaw, I think he's right. We need to be the ones to do it."_

_ "Let Firestar! He's the one she's after! He killed Scourge, and he can kill her."_

_ "Firestar's not nearly as young as he used to be. And Scourge was just trying to wipe out the Clans, he wasn't personally trying to murder Firestar!"_

_ "I think I know what we should do. I've got a plan."_

_ "Well, what is it?"_

_ "To be honest, nothing I can do would be useful in a fight. You both know that. The first step of the plan will be my job. I need to keep Firestar away from the fight. He'll be trying to lead, ready to sacrifice himself to make her stop. And if Firestar goes, ThunderClan goes."_

_ "How will you stop him?" _

_ "I don't know. I'll think of something."_

_ "Why don't you secretly feed him some poppy seed? That'll make him fall asleep."_

_ "Brilliant, Hollypaw. That's step one. Step two involves Lionpaw. Since he's invincible, we're going to need him to be the bait. Curse will attack you but she can't hurt you. Step three, Hollypaw jumps in while she's distracted and helps finish her off. One step for each of us. It should be simple, right?"_

--

Current time, the second battle of BloodClan

A white tom with huge black paws surveyed the horror below him. Cats from WindClan, RiverClan and ThunderClan were dying next to the BloodClan cats where they lay on the ground. It was clear that the Clan cats were trying their hardest, but BloodClan was slowly winning. The fight had to have been going on for a good half hour.

Blackstar shook his head. Then he yowled, almost roared, "ShadowClan, attack!" His Clan poured around him, giving new hope to the battle. Fresh and eager for blood on their claws, the ShadowClan warriors began to turn the tide in favor of the Clans.

Blackstar smiled to himself before launching into battle. Why did he change his mind? He needed to avenge Tigerstar's death. Tigerstar hadn't deserved to die that way.

--

Curse prowled through the war raging around her, eyes searching for the flash of ginger that would show her Firestar.

_But he's nowhere to be found! _she thought, frustrated. _Noble leader my tail! He's hiding in the forest while his Clan dies. _She curled her lip, glancing at the cats falling left and right. It was absolute carnage.

"Firestar, Firestar, where are you?" she muttered. Her ears pricked as she heard a cry nearby.

"Firestar! Firestar! Grandfather, where are you?" There was a golden tabby tom standing alone in part of the clearing, head swiveling in a confused way as he echoed her words. "Grandfather?"

On sudden inspiration, Curse sprang gleefully at the golden tom. He wasn't very old, as big as her, and probably less than a year. He didn't see her, standing still like an imbecile until she crashed into him. Raking her claws down his side, he let out a yowl of pain and slammed his large paws against her. Snarling, she bit into his shoulder, drawing blood.

"Firestar!" she yowled. "I'll kill your grand-kit if you don't surrender this second!" She looked around eagerly, hoping to see him emerge from the trees.

A black shadow streaked through the air and slammed into Curse. Wheeling to face her attacker, Curse halted for a moment, so similar was the she cat. Both of them were slender, had inky black fur and green eyes, and pretty. It was like looking at her reflection, but this she cat had no white.

But Curse's hesitation and surprise had given the she cat the advantage. She lunged, quickly and silently, not fooling around. Curse leaped-

And fell to the ground, the golden tom's teeth around her leg. She whirled, intending to kill this miserable cat, but was thrown to the ground, her head smacking sharply. She closed her eyes and gritted her teeth against the pain in her head. It was then a horrible pain in her throat caused her to jerk back to awareness.

Curse's eyes flew open. The black she cat and golden tom, plus another gray tom, looked down at her. "StarClan was with us," the gray tom said. At least that's what it sounded like. Strangely, though she had brutally clawed him, the golden tom seemed uninjured. The black she cat's muzzle was red with blood. Her blood.

Curse slowly drew in a breath that hissed through her torn throat. Blood pooled on the ground, dripping from her lips. Her vision was fading, going red and then black at the edges. Forcing her voice to work, she breathed, "Curse." The light in her eyes faded, and she sighed as if a great weight had been taken off her shoulders. The great Curse was dead.

--

The battle ended quickly. Fang, seeing Curse dead, had called the remaining BloodClan cats off. They scattered into the forest. Firestar soon returned from the woods, blinking groggily while Jaypaw quickly explained what he had done. Leopardstar was ready to kill the ginger tom for not fighting in his own battle.

Fang didn't leave. Showing his throat, he yowled, "I surrender!" and waited for the leaders to approach him. He apologized for everything that had happened, and promised that BloodClan would never return.

"But, please, I have one last request," he said. "I wish to spend a few final moments with Curse." Leopardstar and Blackstar were all for killing him, but Firestar insisted that he be allowed to flee, and even granted his request.

"Thank you," Fang said, dipping his head. "As I said before, I'm truly sorry. I intend to heal BloodClan, so that we might call ourselves a Clan. In fact, you may have my collar. As a promise that BloodClan will throw out the old ways and start over new." He pulled the black collar from his neck and flung it to the ground.

"Thank you, Fang," Firestar said quietly. "If BloodClan can fix itself and become whole, then I hope to see you in StarClan. Goodbye, and good luck."

Fang dipped his gray head once again. "Goodbye, Firestar, noblest of the leaders. May we meet again someday."

--

"Oh, Curse," Fang whispered, stroking Curse's black side. "Why did you have to be so blind? Why couldn't you have accepted defeat?" He sighed heavily and tears dripped from his whiskers. Curse's glassy green eyes stared vacantly into the distance. "You know, you were always like a- a sister to me. I always felt like I was your older brother, always keeping you out of trouble." Fang smiled sadly. "But in the end, I couldn't save you. You were just too stubborn. Wherever you are, I hope you're happy. Even though you were evil, or at least pretending to be, I'll miss you. I'll miss you, Curse."

For the rest of the night Fang sat silently, watching the stars, wondering if Curse's spirit was up there somewhere. As the sky lightened to the gray of dawn, Fang stood up. After burying Curse's body under a single oak tree on top of a hill, he looked around slowly.

"I am BloodClan's leader now," he said. With one last look at Curse's grave, he turned and walked down the hill to the beginning of a new day.

* * *

**The last real chapter. All that's left is the already written epilogue. I'll leave my farewell speech until then. Review now, and I promise I won't vanish on you again.**


	17. Epilogue

**It's really over. I'm shocked. From the first line, the one I thought of while I was on vacation in Florida, to making the story in my head, to writing three chapters a day, to finishing it with this epilogue that I love, the whole time I never knew how it would end or where the story would go. I wasn't sure if Curse would live or die until now. **

**But even with that, it turned out to be such a fun story to read and right, so epic and amazing. Curse is one of my all time favorite characters. I can't believe it's over.**

**Thank you, everyone who read and reviewed, for making this story even better. I hope you love it as much as I do. I don't know what else to say, so… GO CURSE!**

……………………………………………………**.**

Curse opened her eyes. She was in a forest, lying on her side. Eerie fog curled through the trees like mist, and the stars glittered coldly above. Raising her head, she heard soft pawsteps approaching.

Out of the fog stepped Scourge. He was strangely transparent, but otherwise looked the same as he did on his dying day, complete with his purple collar. Curse gaped in astonishment.

"Daddy!" she cried, springing to her paws. The two cats nuzzled each other lovingly.

"Curse," Scourge purred. "You have grown into such a beautiful she cat. So deadly, so cunning, so fear-inspiring. You are just like me."

"So," Curse hesitated, looking worried. "You aren't mad that I didn't kill Firestar?"

"Of course not," he said, licking her cheek. "You gave it your best shot. You might not have done any better than me, but I can say you are my equal. What's important is what you've become. I myself couldn't have been a better leader."

Tears of happiness spilled from Curse's eyes. Purring, real honest purring, erupted from her throat. She rubbed against Scourge, who draped his tail over her shoulders.

"What is this place?" she asked, looking around.

"Some call it the Place of No Stars, but I call it the Dark Forest," Scourge said. "We must wander these trees for eternity."

Curse frowned. "That doesn't sound like much fun. But at least I can see you again."

"I'm not the only one here," Scourge mewed. "There are others… And did you know, that here in the Dark Forest they have no leader?" He was smirking.

"Why, I didn't," Curse said, starting to grin. "It sounds like they need one."

"Or two," Scourge said. He twined his tail with his daughter's. "And I think I know just the cats for the job."

"Scourge and Curse, eternal rulers of the Dark Forest. It has a nice ring to it," Curse mewed. Together, they padded away into the darkness.

THE END

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**Please review, this is the last chance **_**Cursed **_**has. Let's try to reach seventy!**

**If you liked this, check out my stories **_**101 Tales of the Clans **_**and **_**Spiteful. **_

**To any roleplayers: I have my own site now, and I strongly urge you to check it out. The link is on my profile. **

**That's all! I'll miss you too, Curse. See you all on the other side. FallingSnow14, out.**


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